another auld lang syne

Before I pop the cork and gobble a slice of food for the gods or cover my ears but look up to the midnight sky for the new year fireworks and revelry, here are my top five resolutions for the new year:

01. Get back into a smaller shape through a low carb diet, dancing sessions in the gym, weights sessions in the gym, boxing, jogging, badminton, yoga, mental power, whatever it takes.

02. Learn how to drive - even just an automatic car. And of course, park it, drive it in reverse, keep it in a safe distance from the silly driver at the front and at the back, and match its seat covers and throw pillows inside.

03. Finish ultimately my masters in business administration and take up a new course right after summer - professional education, literature, law, corporate governance, guitar, anything.

04. Start listening and focus. To the things my daughters say when they raise a fit on what clothes to wear, to everyone older than me when they have unsolicited advice to give, to credit card telemarketers when they remind me about deadlines, not new products.

05. Be kind to myself and take care of myself. Do not fall again for empty promises that goad you to work like a horse but ends up to nothing, false self-worth through overtimes that stretch into dawn, and interesting arguments or clever one liners. Handle my heart with care and acknowledge that the greatest love of all is found deep within me.